Kiss & Tell
by x-HotMess
Summary: Mitchie wasn’t the only one keeping up an image at Camp Rock. Tess/Caitlyn
1. More Than This

I never asked to come to this stupid school. I wanted to stay with my home schooling. No one actually cared if I didn't do the work. I didn't get detention. I didn't have to look like some fashion victim in this fug-ass uniform. But no, apparently my self-discipline has been lacking and I was in need of a good reality check, according to my parents.

So September came around and I was shipped off to Frenchwood Academy, only 20 minutes away from where I had moved to my 9th home in 8 years. My parental units chucked a Gabriella's mom and promised not to move again until I'd finished my senior year, so I was stuck here for at least the next 1096 days. Yipee.

I looked around at the boys and girls who all looked basically the same to me in their generic navy uniforms and vacant expressions. I'd been at Frenchwood all of two minutes and I'd already decided it was going to kill my soul. The school counsellor had confiscated my electric blue headband and scolded my multi-coloured fingernails. I'd been kicked out into the hall with a complicated timetable and a basic map that was no help at all. The warning bell had just rung and I was really started to freak out. To top it all of, some blonde chick barged straight into me because she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking.

"Watch it," I snapped, pushing my hair out of my eyes in a huff.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sor- Caitlyn?" The girl in front of me looked stricken.

"Tess?" my jaw dropped. "What… I mean, how…? You go here?"

"Unfortunately," Tess wrinkled her nose and flicked back a strand of golden hair, before popping her hip out and folding her arms across her chest.

"Great," I rolled my eyes. "Just what I needed. This school keeps getting better and better."

"Oh, whatever, Caitlyn," Tess scoffed in her usual fashion. I merely responded in my usual fashion, rolling my eyes and scowling.

"Wow, Tyler, bonding with the new kid already? You're turning her into a social outcast and it's only the first day back!" sneered a preening voice from behind Tess, and she visibly paled before her face tightened into a frown and she turned to face her verbal attacker.

"You look different this year, Whitney. New nose job over the summer?" Tess retorted.

"Ouch, did you think of that just now, or have you been working on it for a while?" the girl who was apparently named Whitney giggled, before raising an eyebrow at me. "Who's this?"

"This is…" Tess began, but I cut her off by taking a step forward and extending a hand to the thin, auburn-haired girl who was wearing way too much eye make-up in my opinion.

"Caitlyn Gellar," I said curtly, smiling in satisfaction when Whitney took my hand lightly and gave it a quick shake, not even bothering to disguise her contempt.

"I'm Whitney McGregor," she smiled insincerely. "Word to the wise, Tess Tyler here is a bit of a freak, so if you want a spot on the social ladder, it's best to just steer clear of her altogether."

I was taken aback for a split second, glancing between Tess's sour expression and Whitney's sickly sweet one, before answering uncertainly. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

"No problem. Maybe I'll see you in one of my classes later, hmm? Toodles!" she wiggled her fingers at me before sending a triumphant smirk at Tess and sauntering away.

I stared after her, not really sure what had just happened. Tess Tyler, _the_ Tess Tyler, Queen Bee of Camp Rock and all around life-wrecking bitch just got shot down by someone seemingly inconsequential and nowhere near as famous as herself. I turned to Tess and blurted out the first sentence to form in my head.

"Did she seriously just say toodles?"

"Yup," Tess sighed.

"Ew."

"Tell me about it."

I laughed despite myself, and then abruptly stopped. Why was Tess being so freakily normal? Why didn't she tear apart that Whitney girl within an inch of her life? The Tess I knew would have obliterated her in an instant with a few choice words and that trademark sneer.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Tess Tyler?" I gaped at her.

Tess just smiled like she knew the most mysterious secret in the world, and gave me a small wave. "I'll see you later, Caitlyn."

She disappeared into the classroom on her left just as the bell rang. I swore and looked down at my timetable, before dashing off to a homeroom that I had no idea where it even was.

* * *

After my disastrous morning, third period Music was like a shining beacon in my near future. That is, until I walked into the classroom. Tess was sitting by herself next to the window, staring out of it in a daze. If I didn't think she was such a cow, I would have thought she looked quite pretty in her dreamlike state, in her own world where nothing from the outside even mattered.

I looked desperately around the room for somewhere else to sit, and my jaw dropped as Whitney smiled and waved to me from the back of the classroom. I looked behind me just to check that she wasn't gesturing to someone else, but I was the only one standing up the front of the room. I hesitantly returned the wave, and my eyes widened when she pointed to the empty desk next to hers. I nodded timidly and started towards her. Tess turned and caught my eye, giving me a questioning look when she saw where I was headed. I shrugged at her incredulously; this was happening so fast I barely had time to register what was going on.

I'd asked around in my other classes, and I discovered that Tess Tyler was hated here just as much as she was at Camp Rock, except these people refused to let her walk all over them. And Whitney McGregor was _the_ girl to be friends with. Every girl wants to be her; every guy wants to sleep with her. The homecoming queen. The Regina George. So the idea of this girl who could be friends with anyone she wanted choosing _me_ to sit with her in Music was kind of a big deal.

"Hi, Caitlyn, right?" she smiled at me, revealing her teeth that were just a little too white for my taste.

"Um, yeah," I shrugged. "And you're Whitney."

I wasn't going to beat around the bush. She knew I knew who she was, so there was no point in trying to be all coy and feigning indifference.

"I thought I might save you from the worst seat in the house," she curled her lip up at the empty seat next to Tess.

"Thanks," I sighed. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't her biggest fan."

"Wow, it's been what, three hours? What could Tess Tyler possibly manage to do to you in such a short time?" Whitney smirked conceitedly.

"Oh, I've known her longer than three hours," I growled.

Whitney raised a pencil thin eyebrow. "How so?"

"She ruined two of my summers at Camp Rock," I glared in Tess's direction, but she didn't notice as she was doodling on a notepad on the desk in front of her.

"Camp Rock?" a flash of surprise crossed Whitney's face. "You went to Camp Rock?"

"Yeah," I shrugged again, a little irked that Whitney seemed to find that hard to believe. "She doesn't like competition. She took me out of the running a couple of years ago, and last year she tried to ruin my friend Mitchie's life, because Shane Gray liked her and…"

"Shane Gray?" Whitney squeaked. "As in Connect Three's Shane Gray? You actually met him?"

"Well, yeah, he was an instructor," I tried to blow it off as no big deal. I didn't want people flocking around me asking if he was really such a jerk in real life, what about the rumors surrounding him having new girlfriend, and OHMYGOD WAS HIS HAIR JUST TOTALLY DREAMY???

"And Tess met him too?" Whitney's face was suddenly devoid of emotion.

"Uh, yes?" I replied uncertainly, and Whitney glanced over to Tess with an interesting look on her face.

I had the sudden urge to stop talking to her immediately. I did not like that look. Thankfully, she just turned back to me and asked if Shane was as cute as he was in the magazines.

The class ended before I had even realised it started, and Whitney left me with an invitation to sit with her at lunch. I collected up my things and started to follow her out the door, but a hand on my arm stopped me.

"Hey, um, Caitlyn?" my eyes widened at the timid tone Tess was using.

"What?" I said blankly, unsure how to react.

"Whitney isn't a nice person. You should stay away from her," Tess mumbled, avoiding my gaze.

"Excuse me?" I asked dangerously. Who did she think she was, the filthy hypocrite?

"It's like last summer all over again, except this time you're Mitchie, Whitney is me and I'm you, trying to warn Mitchie that I don't have your best interests at heart."

"Wait, so, she's what and you're who? I am being nothing like Mitchie at Camp Rock!" I protested indignantly.

"Chyeah, you are," she snorted.

"No, I'm not! I haven't lied about who I was or where I come from! I have done nothing but try and make some friends!" I replied heatedly.

"Exactly. You might not have lied like Mitchie, but you're certainly trying to fit in with the wrong crowd. Whitney is not someone you want to be friends with," Tess rolled her eyes.

"Why, because she actually stands up to you? You're pathetic, Tess, you really are," I sneered, turning on my heel and striding away.

"You know what?" Tess grabbed my arm and spun me back around. "I'm trying to help you out here, and you're just throwing it back in my face! So go and befriend whoever you want, okay? Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Like that's going to happen," I scoffed, ignoring the uneasy feeling in the pit my stomach as I walked away.

I don't know why Tess was acting so jacked up, but if she thought she could trick me into blowing up my new social life she had another thing coming.

I took a detour into the ladies room because I hadn't relieved myself all morning and my bladder doesn't perform well under stress. As soon as I had emptied it and prepared myself for the second half of my day, I heard the bathroom door open and a group of girls walk in, or more like, I smelt them walk in. The stench of their expensive try-hard perfume overpowered even the most pungent of school bathroom odours.

"Who was that random chick you were with in Music, Whits?" a girl with a giggly voice that irritated the heck out of me piped up.

"I know, right, did you see her hair?" said a girl with a much huskier voice started. "I mean, hello, ever heard of a little thing called conditioner?"

"Caitlyn Gellar? She's alright, I guess. I saw her talking to Tyler, and I just couldn't risk it," the unmistakeable voice of Whitney hit my ears and I froze, my underwear still around my ankles.

"Risk what, Whitney?" Husky-voice asked.

"Letting Tess Tyler have a friend," Whitney laughed condescendingly. "I mean, come on, I'm doing both girls a favour. Tess can keep up her reputation as a total loser, and Caitlyn doesn't have to be associated with a total loser. It's win-win!"

"And what if she turns out to be a total drag?" Giggles mused.

"Then we ditch the bitch," Whitney sighed. "No biggie."

My ears turned bright red in fury and I hitched up my panties before opening up the cubicle door. "Hello, Whitney," I muttered through gritted teeth.

Whitney spun around, obviously surprised and a little embarrassed to see me there, but showing no remorse for her words. "Oh, hi Caitlyn."

The two girls who I assumed to be Husky and Giggles exchanged awkward glances and I silently washed my hands in the basin, and continued to re-apply their lip-gloss.

"So… you sitting with us for lunch, Caity?" Whitney made an attempt at small talk while she primped her hair in the mirror.

"My name's Caitlyn," I snapped. "And I think I'll pass."

"Oh?" Whitney looked down her nose at me. "Well, you're not going to get any better offers, trust me."

"You think you're the best option?" I let out a slightly hysterical laugh. "Really? I thought Tess Tyler was horrible, but you, you're a piece of work, Whitney."

"Tyler, horrible?" Whitney cackled, obviously amused at my apparent naivety. "Tess Tyler couldn't be horrible to anyone if she tried!"

"Are you serious?" I huffed. "You said…"

"I said she's a freak. A nobody. Just because her mother has glitter in her veins doesn't mean it runs in the family," Whitney sniped. "She's one apple that fell _way_ too far from the tree."

"What are you talking about?" I spluttered. "Tess Tyler is the nastiest person I know!"

"You mustn't know many people then," Whitney rolled her eyes like she was talking to an infant, while her two lackeys giggled mechanically. "Look, I'm only going to say this one more time. Tess Tyler is a talentless hack with no personality who doesn't belong here. So you can either go and join her in the dork club or actually enjoy your sophomore year with us."

I glanced between the Whitney's smug look, to the delighted expression on her clones' faces, to the exit. I took a deep breath before replying.

"I think I'll take my chances," I shrugged, and left the three girls with a smile of self-satisfaction spread across my face.

But inside my mind, my thoughts were racing. I had always wondered why I hadn't heard Tess's names in the tabloids more often, knowing her penchant for drama and attention-seeking that she displayed at Camp Rock. But the Tess that Whitney described was nothing like the one I had experienced for the last three years. The Tess I knew was obnoxious and insufferable and talented, and she knew it, using every opportunity she could to flaunt what she had that everyone else wanted.

As I walked into the cafeteria my eyes told a different story. Tess was sitting by herself at an empty table, while surrounding students threw furtive glances at her, which she ignored. I sighed, and went to collect a tray and whatever delicious menu options that this school offered. Glancing around for a seat, I sighed and admitted that I should probably at least try and make amends with Tess. She did try to warn me about Whitney's artificiality, after all. I approached her table reluctantly and stood silently until she looked up at me petulantly.

"Can I sit here?" I tried to smile, but I think it turned into the sort of face one makes when they're about to sneeze.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged, focusing her attention back on her macaroni.

"I wanted to apologise," I slid in opposite her and attempted to make her look at me again.

"Whatever," she grumbled, stabbing at the pasta ferociously.

"No, Tess, I'm serious. You were right about Whitney," I sighed, digging into my sloppy joe.

"I usually am," she sneered.

"But you tried to _help_ me. You were actually being _nice_. I mean, what the heck, Tess? Why would you do that?"

"You really want to know?" Tess dropped her fork and glared at me in such a way that it made my insides clench like I've never experienced before.

"Yeah," I breathed.

"Honestly? Mitchie wasn't the only one lying about herself at Camp Rock. Back home I'm not Tess Tyler, Queen Bee. I'm Tess Tyler, friendless freak. Nobody's busting their butts to it with me at the lunch table. They're either too scared of what Whitney will do to them if they're associated with me, or they believe the rumors she's spread about me," Tess wrinkled her nose.

"Rumors?" I wrinkled my nose as I leant in, clinging on to her every word. This completely different Tess I was seeing was utterly intriguing.

"If everything Whitney McGregor said about me was true, then by my calculations I should have given birth to about fifteen illegitimate love children in the last year, been to rehab nine times in six months, suffered from every kind of eating disorder, and oh, and the story of the day is that I let Shane Gray do me in the keister at Camp Rock," Tess shrugged.

"Gross!" I gagged, trying to suppress my laughter at the ridiculousness of it all, before guiltily thinking back to my conversation with Whitney in Music, suspecting that what I had said had been a factor in the construction of that little piece of gossip.

"I know, right?" Tess cried. "I only gave him one stinkin' blowjob!"

I abruptly stopped laughing and gaped at her. Oh no, Mitchie would be so heartbroken if…

"Sarcasm, Caitlyn," Tess rolled her eyes. "I made a joke. This is the part where you el oh el."

"Okay, you are seriously freaking me out. You're making jokes, being friendly, acting the complete opposite to who you are! I _know_ who you are, Tess! This isn't you!" I exclaimed.

"Or maybe you just thought you knew me," she shrugged, picking her fork back up and shovelling some more macaroni into he mouth.

"You're eating _carbs_!" I gasped. The Tess Tyler I knew wouldn't go near food with a high GI if her life depended on it.

"Crazy!" Tess's mouth twitched in amusement.

I sat in silence for a moment, trying to take in this completely new person in front of me. "So why are you such a bitch at camp?"

"Look, Caitlyn, I don't expect you to understand, and I certainly don't expect you to forgive me, but I can't really give an explanation," she bit her lip. "It's the one place I can go where I'm in control of what people think of me."

"So… let me get this straight. You're a total bitchface for summer, but for the rest of the year, you're actually relatively normal?" I stared at her in disbelief.

"Pretty much," she shrugged again. Her indifference to the situation was infuriating.

"That's stupid!" I burst out. "Why wouldn't you just be yourself?"

"Because being myself is shit," Tess snapped, glaring up at me. "Look around, Caitlyn. You honestly think I enjoy this? If you had the chance to go someplace where no one knew who you were, wouldn't you just try and be someone completely different? Anyone you wanted?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed. "No, of course you wouldn't."

"There isn't anyone I want to be but myself," I shrugged.

"Well, not all of us are lucky enough to be that comfortable in our own skin. I didn't think anyone would ever find out, so I just thought of how Whitney seemed so happy, and basically just acted like her, except I toned it down a bit."

"That was Whitney toned down?" I choked

"Oh yeah. You have no idea what she's capable of."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the half-finished meals, apples and chocolate puddings, and I decided that was my cue to leave. I had a lot to think about anyway. So I coughed lightly, and stood up, picking up my pudding whilst dexterously 'forgetting' my fruit, and gave Tess a sort of half-wave.

So, I guess I'll see you round?" I posed it more as a question than a statement. I still wasn't sure if this Tess was the real deal, and wouldn't go back to hating my guts tomorrow.

"I'll be around," she smiled up at me, and that was when I realised I was stupid for even considering that possibility.

* * *

_This started out as a one-shot but just got so unbelievably out of control that I changed it to a three-shot. The next two parts should be up in the next day or so, once I've put on the finishing touches._


	2. The Special Two

"Hey Caitlyn?" Tess approached me a few weeks later. She was only in one of my classes, and I didn't make any effort to see her after school, but I was sure to smile and wave to her in the halls, and it felt weird to say this, but it was kinda like we were becoming… friends. "Can I ask you something?"

"Fire away," I mumbled through my food, not even bothering to look up.

Tess seated herself opposite me at the lunch table. "So, you know that Music project that's coming up soon? The one we have to do with partners?"

"Sure," I shrugged indifferently.

"I was just wondering," Tess paused, and cleared her throat, "if you wanted to be my partner."

"Why would I want to be your partner?" My jaw dropped and my question didn't exactly come out the way I had imagined in my head.

Tess's face fell and her cheeks flushed. "Well, I just thought… never mind, it was stupid."

"No, wait," I stopped her as she went to leave. "I mean, why do you want me as your partner?"

"Because you're pretty much the only one in the class I can tolerate," Tess rolled her eyes. "And you're good, Caitlyn. You're really good."

No matter how much Tess went under the radar here at Frenchwood Academy, the girl still had a vast amount of pride, and I realised that her swallowing that to come and ask me to work with her must have been a very difficult thing to do.

I sighed melodramatically and rolled my eyes. "Well, I _guess_ I could clear some space for you in my schedule."

"Yay!" she squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.

I bit into my banana as Tess started to gush about some of the ideas she had, when a blonde, tall boy in a football jacket bumped into the back of her chair and coughed something that sounded suspiciously like 'slut!' Tess's face fell, and her cheeks turned pink as the people at the surrounding tables tittered, and I saw Whitney give an approving nod from her table.

"Hey!" I stood up angrily. "What did you just say?"

The boy stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at me. "Caitlyn, no!" Tess hissed under her breath.

"Oh, nothing, I just had something in my throat," Blondie shrugged breezily, coughing again for effect.

"Look, buddy, if you've got something to say, at least have the cohunes to say it to her face!" I fumed, ignoring Tess's persistent tugging of my sleeve.

He just laughed, exchanging amused glances with some of his friends, before turning his attention to Tess. "Who's your friend, Tess? She's feisty, I like her."

Tess spun around furiously in her seat. "Piss off, Christopher!" she snapped.

This so-called Christopher just chuckled and did a little mock bow. "Your wish is my command," he smirked, winking at me before walking away.

I sat back down slowly, eyeing Tess cautiously. "What was all that about?" I pressed.

She just sucked in a deep breath through her teeth, and stood up abruptly, throwing a venomous look towards a still snickering Whitney before running out of the cafeteria. I called after her, but she didn't even hesitate, so I dumped the contents of my tray in the bin before following suit.

"Tess?" I called warily down the empty corridor. I was answered with muffled sobs coming from the music room.

I timidly pushed open the door to find Tess hunching into a shaking ball in the corner of the room, behind the kettle drums. I made my way over to her and crouched down, laying a hand on her arm questioningly. It was freaking me out a little bit, seeing her in such a mess. The Tess I knew was always cool as a cucumber, but we'd already firmly established that the Tess I knew was practically non-existent.

"He was my best friend!" she exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" I took a seat beside her and rubbed her elbow soothingly.

"Chris, he and I, we… I've known the g-guy since I was f-four years old," she stuttered, wiping the tearstains off her cheek, only to have them replaced by fresh ones. "We were best friends for years, and then he just, he became friends with _her_!"

"Whitney?" I asked, and she nodded glumly.

"That girl has had it out for me since we started middle school, but I never really used to notice because I had Chris and our friends. But then, in the eighth grade, she somehow just got to them and…" Tess buried her face in her hands, and a nasty feeling began brewing in the pit of my stomach. "He became a completely different person. He started putting me down, blowing me off, going to parties without me. In the end, just before summer started, I gave him an ultimatum. He chose her."

"Bastard," I growled through gritted teeth, before realising something. "Wait, before summer? That was… was that why you came to Camp Rock so horrible that year?"

"I didn't have any friends!" Tess prickled defiantly. "What was I supposed to do? Be my miserable self and hope that someone came along and took pity on me?"

"You had friends!" I replied heatedly. "You had Lola and I! But instead you ditched us to go and manipulate the new girls! Ella and Peggy didn't know what had hit them!"

"Don't you think I know that? I regret what I put those girls through every day of camp, okay? But it was better than being alone!" she snapped, pushing my hand off her arm.

"You wouldn't have been alone!" I protested. "I just said me and Lola…"

"If my best friend of ten years can leave me in the dust for the most horrible girl on the planet, what do you think two girls who I'm friends with for two months a year could do?" her voice got dangerously low.

"We wouldn't have…" my argument died in my throat when I saw the anguish behind Tess's damp eyes.

"Caitlyn, I'm sorry that I hurt you, I am. I was in a bad place and I just didn't want my heart broken again," she bit her lip and looked at me anxiously.

"You didn't have to break my laptop and push me in the lake in front of the entire camp," I pouted, memories from that particular summer hitting me like a ton of bricks.

"I didn't know how to make you understand I didn't want your friendship, Caity. I wanted all the attention on me, so I could forget that when I got back home I wouldn't have anyone. God! How could they do that to me? I mean, did I mean nothing? Was I just a waste of time? Fuck, I hate them all so much sometimes I just want to die," she sobbed, getting two years of friendless agony off her chest.

"Oh, Tess," I breathed, snaking and arm around her shoulders and giving them a comforting squeeze.

"But I couldn't do that to my mom. It'd kill her," she swallowed and dug her knuckles into her eyes, smearing her mascara. "How do you do it, Caitlyn?"

"Do what?" I drew back a little in confusion.

"How do you not care about what other people think of you?"

I held back a yelp of laughter. "I do care what other people think of me! You have no idea how much I care."

Tess stared at me with wide eyes. "But… you never seem like it! You're always so, so _you_."

"I don't want anyone to think I'm anything I'm not. I'm just me, Tess. I just don't let them know I care. Coz then they'll know they can get to me."

Tess's hand shot out suddenly and grabbed my hand tightly. I could feel the cold sweat on her palms, but I held onto it anyway.

"Thanks, Caitlyn," she managed a watery smile.

"No problem. Let's just talk about something else," I shrugged, standing up and pulling her to her feet. "Like the music project. Do you know what you want to do?"

"Do you want to hear?" her face lit up, and if it hadn't been for her red eyes and flushed cheeks, it was like she hadn't even been all that upset.

"Sure, why not?" I nodded, watching her curiously as she made her way over to the piano to settle down, then her fingers splayed across the keys and she began to sing.

"_A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle, he tried to cut me so I'd fit,  
__and doesn't that sound familiar, doesn't that hit too close to home,  
__doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could've gone?  
and doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?  
__so that I do remember to never go that far,  
could you leave me with a scar?"  
_

To say I was speechless would be an understatement. My mouth was open so far I could have had a bug fly down my throat without even noticing.

"You hate it," Tess stated glumly, looking up and seeing the expression on my face.

"No!" I exclaimed immediately. "No, geez, Tess, did you write that? It's great!"

"Yeah, I did," she bit the inside of her cheek modestly.

"Wow, I would love to do that for our project!" I rocked backwards and forwards on the balls of my feet excitedly. "I could throw in some mixes to the background, add in a drum beat…"

"Great, do you want to come to my house next weekend to work on it?" Tess looked so nervously excited that I just couldn't say no.

"Sure," I smiled at her, all tears forgotten for the time being. From that moment on Tess Tyler and I were officially friends.

* * *

I shifted nervously from foot to foot as I stood in front of Tess's porch after ringing the doorbell. For a moment I almost forgot that her mother was a multi-award winning recording artist with millions of dollars in the bank and could afford hugely intimidating mansions that scared the crap out of me. I held my breath and hoped that I didn't have to deal with awkward maids or butlers. Do people even have butlers anymore? I was contemplating this very question when the door swung open and I could hear Tess talking into the phone just behind it.

"Hey Tess, I-OHMYGOD!" I screeched as soon as I saw her.

"Hi," she grinned at me through a pink, glossy mouth. Her eyes were coated in dark, smoky eyeshadow, and her hair had suddenly gone from champagne blonde to a chocolate brown.

"What did you do!" I gasped, grabbing a clump of her hair in my hand and shaking it.

"I decided it was time for a change," she shrugged, pulling out of my grasp and leading me into her house, laughing into her cell phone. "Yeah, Caitlyn just saw my hair. She was shocked too."

She covered the mouthpiece and mouthed '_mom_' in my direction. I nodded and took a seat at the kitchen island.

"Okay, mom, yes, I promise. I have to go. Love you too. Bye!" Tess snapped her phone shut and smiled at me. "She's in Berlin on tour."

"Awesome," I posed it more of a question than a statement, because I knew of Tess's shaky relationship with her mother. "So, uh, how is your mom?"

"She's great. Ever since, well, you know, last summer…" I nodded to let Tess know she didn't have to go into detail, and she gave me a grateful smile. "Ever since then, we've been great. She didn't know how much it meant to me that she was there to support me. Now she does, and she's made sure that she calls me at least every night she's away. She thinks it's great I've made a new friend too, I haven't really been all that social as of late."

I saw what I liked to refer to as 'the Chris look' wash over her face. It was the same look she had every time he walked passed her locker and ignored her, or sneered at her from Whitney's table in the cafeteria. It seemed like Tess could handle any insults thrown at her from any person in the school like water off a duck's back, except him. Every time Chris was thrown into the mix, looked like she'd shoved a whole lemon in her mouth and her eyes reflected the utmost pain and humiliation, sometimes her shoulders even started to shake.

"So, do you want to get started?" I jumped in quickly, pulling out my laptop to distract her.

"Absolutely!" she grinned.

We worked on the song for four whole hours. Tess had written most of it, and I mixed a backing track that would fit in perfectly with her playing on the piano. By the end of the day we were exhausted, but also exhilarated at the prospect of playing it for the entire Music class on Monday.

"Do you need a ride to school tomorrow?" Tess hovered at the hall entry as we said our goodbyes.

"Uh, not really. I drive the car when my dad doesn't have it, but otherwise I usually just catch the bus," I shrugged.

"Caitlyn, I meant do you _want_ a ride to school tomorrow," she giggled.

"Oh. Sure!" I laughed as I went out the door. "See you tomorrow morning! Bye!"

Imagine my surprise when I walked out my front door the next morning to find a cherry red Mustang sitting in my driveway with a beaming Tess at the wheel.

"Holy automobile, Batman!" I screeched. "_This_ is your car?"

"Yep! I hardly ever drive her to school because I'm terrified Whitney's going to key it or something, but today I figured what the heck?" she laughed. "What are you waiting for? Come on!"

I sprinted over to the door as fast as I could, wrenching it open and jumping into the rich leather passenger's seat. "Let's roll."

We drove to school with the top down, singing Pat Benetar at the top of our lungs, feeling the happiest I'd felt in a long time, just sitting there with the wind whipping at our hair, belting out Love is a Battlefield and getting strange looks from the surrounding commuters. And my mood only heightened when we got to Frenchwood and I saw the reaction of all our peers.

"Who is that?"

"Is that Tess Tyler?"

"What did she do to her hair? It's really pretty!"

"Hah, Whitney is going to shit Frisbees when she sees her."

I could see the not-so-subtle whispers making Tess smile wider, but we hit a road bump rounding the corner to the Science block, as a tall, blonde boy in a football jacket walked straight into her.

"Oh, my bad," Chris apologized immediately, not even bothering to hide the fact the he was ogling Tess's curves in a very un-gentlemanly manner.

I held my breath and waited for 'the Chris look' to take over, but Tess's expression only faltered for a second before it was replaced with a cool, emotionless mask. "No problem, Chris."

Chris's eyes immediately shot to her face in surprise at how the hot new girl could know his name, and his eyes widened. "Tess?" he whispered.

"No, the Tooth Fairy," she rolled her eyes. "Can you stop blocking the hall? I have to get to biology."

"W-w-what happened to you?" he gaped, looking her up and down again, as if the first time wasn't enough.

"Oh, Chris," Tess shook her head condescendingly. "Stop pretending like you even give a rat's ass about me. People change. You of all people should know that."

"Tess, I-" he began, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"For the last time, Christopher Holt, get out of my way before I make you," she scowled, and he obediently stepped to the side.

"Let's go, Caity," she grabbed my hand in a vice like grip and I could tell that she wasn't feeling nearly as nonchalant as her exterior was showing.

She pulled me around two corners before spinning to face me, eyes shining. "Did you see me? He didn't get to me, Caity! I stood up to him!"

"Great job," I grinned at her elated face, hesitating before giving her a small hug, which she gladly returned. "Wait until we get to music. The day's only just beginning."

"More like the rest of my life is beginning," she broke away and beamed down at me. "Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Don't sweat it," I shrugged, but there was a warm feeling spreading around my intestines that I couldn't describe. Something like pride. "See you third period."

Third period didn't come nearly fast enough. I practically raced out of AP English to get there, and as I entered the classroom I pushed in front of Whitney to get through the doorframe first, sending a smug glance back at her over my shoulder and earning myself the filthiest look I think I've ever seen on a person.

I sat next to Tess and I put my hand on her knee to stop her from jiggling it nervously. She gasps softly and shoots me a look, and suddenly I feel like I've crossed a line with what before only felt like a friendly gesture. So I pull my hand away sharply and roll my eyes as she continues to bounce her leg up and down on the ball of her foot.

Our teacher called us up to the front of the class to present out project, and I gave Tess a wink of encouragement as she sat down in front of the piano, and she returned a weak smile. I started the backing track on my laptop and I could feel the whole classroom tense in surprise as Tess started to tinkle the black and white keys and began to sing.

"_I think I realized just in time, although my old self was hard to find,  
you can bathe me in your finest wine but I'll never give you mine,  
coz I'm a little bit tired of fearing that I'll be the bad fruit nobody buys,  
tell me, did you think we'd all dream the same?__"_

And the last chords rang out, there was nothing but stunned silence. All of a sudden, everyone was on their feet, applauding, cheering, whistling, and Tess looked at me with her eyes twinkling with excitement and knocked back the piano stool to throw her arms around my neck.

"We did it," she whispered in my ear, and her warm breath on my skin made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

She turned back to face the cheering class, sans Whitney and her lackeys, her smile beaming wide. Even our teacher was wiping tears out from behind her oversized glasses.

"I don't want to jinx it or anything, but I think we might have just gotten an A," I nudged Tess in the side and she grinned wider.

The bell rang to signal the end of the class, and everyone flocked around us, patting us on the back and declaring words of encouragement and praise, except for Whitney, who flounced out of the room looking positively livid.

"Hey Tess," a girl with dark red hair sidled up beside her. "Great job. My folks are out of town this weekend, and I'm having a party this Friday night. Do you wanna come?"

"You want me to play at your party?" if Tess could physically smile any more I think her face would have exploded. "Wow, Amelia, sure! What time do you need me there to set up?"

"Not to perform, silly!" Amelia laughed. "I mean, do you want to come and, well, you know, party?"

"You're inviting me to a party?" Tess's face went suspiciously blank. "Why? I mean, I know you don't exactly like Whitney, but you know associating with me is considered social suicide, right?"

"Hey! What does that make me?" I protested, not only did I like being considered socially suicidal, but I hated when Tess put herself down like that.

"Oh please, like I'm scared of that McGregor bitch," Amelia shrugged, looking only a little bit scared. "I never believe a word that comes out of that girl's mouth. You're more than welcome to come, Tess, everyone's going to be there. You too, Caitlyn," she added, nodding amiably at me.

"Sure!" Tess blurted out before I could get a word in. "We'll be there!"

"Awesome!" Amelia exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Can't wait!"

As soon as she was out of earshot, I turned to Tess questioningly. "The hell? I thought we were having an X-Men movie marathon on Friday to bask in the glory of Hugh Jackman's biceps?"

"Caitlyn, I have not been invited to any school parties in more than two years! Amelia is pretty much the only person who I semi-know who doesn't look in the other direction when I'm walking past them in the hall. She's the nicest person in our grade, because she's too busy with all her extra curricular sports to get caught up in drama," Tess's eyes were pleading with me.

"But she said _everyone's_ going to be there. That includes Whitney and Chris and all the other people who DO purposely ignore you, no, _us_, on a daily basis," I persisted.

"So? Look at me, Caitlyn! They can't get to me anymore!" Tess wildly gesticulated to her dark hair and flawless face.

"Dunking your hair in a vat of dye and masking your face in make-up doesn't turn you into a completely different person overnight," I scowled.

Her jaw dropped in resentment. "I'm not trying to be a different person! That's not what this is about at all!"

"Then what is it about, Tess? I don't understand why you want to go to that stupid party!" I was getting frustrated.

"Why can't you just be happy that I've found some confidence in myself?" her voice became small and vulnerable, before taking a harsher edge. "Or do you enjoy watching me writhe around in helplessness and self-pity?"

"No! How could you say that?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

"You only started hanging out with me out of sympathy, admit it! I know how powerful and self-important it feels to befriend people weaker than yourself, I've been there," she snarled.

"Tess, I started hanging out with you because I got a glimpse of the girl I was best friends with when I was twelve years old," I snapped, rather insulted. "If you want to go to the party, fine! I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Her expression softened and she reached out to take my hand, and I felt a weird sensation in my chest, like my heart was skipping a beat or something.

"You don't have to worry about me, Caity," she whispered, squeezing my fingers. "I'll be fine."

I didn't have the heart to say it wasn't just her I was worried about.

* * *

_How are you guys liking this? I'm trying to make Tess and Caitlyn's relationship a little more complex, but I'm not sure if it's working. Third and final instalment under construction, will be up soon.  
__The song is called Scar by Missy Higgins, if anyone's interested, because I pretty much just loved the mental image of Tess belting that out._


	3. Where I Stood

The lights were all on around Amelia's house as we pulled up in Tess's red mustang. I could hear MGMT blasting from inside and from the amount of empty beer cans already on the front lawn I could tell that it was going to be a messy night for quite of few of my peers.

"If I get puked on, you owe me seven uninterrupted hours of Wolverine ogling," I scowled at Tess as I slammed the car door shut, but she just laughed and tossed her dark hair over her shoulder.

"Caitlyn, relax. Just focus on what a great week we've had and how much fun is still to come."

She had a point. After our music project performance we weren't alone at lunchtime anymore. Amelia had joined us at our table, along with two girls from her soccer team, Ellen and Jemima, her boyfriend John, and his friend Michael. And though we were sceptical at first, we learned that Amelia and John were the sweetest couple in the school, Ellen was hilarious, and Jemima and Michael had sexual tension so thick you could slice right through it, but were in such denial that they constantly bickered with each other. And our common factor was that we all loathed Whitney.

She had cheated on Michael with half the basketball team last year, broken Ellen's guitar before a talent show that she ended up winning, surprise surprise, and she seemed to torment Jemima nearly as much as Tess because of her non-existent relationship with Michael. Just because she'd broken his heart apparently didn't mean she could stand to see another girl in his arms. They only people she seemingly couldn't touch were Amelia and John, because they kept themselves moving so fast in their lives that she couldn't catch them. And they didn't plan on slowing down. I could see what Tess had meant about her not being nearly as bad at Camp Rock. Whitney was every teenage girl's worst nightmare. Generically pretty, rich, averagely talented and ruthlessly cut-throat.

"Why do we let people like that control our lives?" I burst out angrily earlier that day, after Whitney had purposely spilt a bottle of water in Jemima's purse and walked away before she noticed.

"If we fight back, she'd only come at us ten times worse," Jemima sighed, shaking her waterlogged cell phone sadly. "She's too clever, too powerful, and I don't want to waste my time on stupid, harebrained schemes destined to fail when I could be doing something more useful with my life. Nobody wants to bother with petty revenge, because that would only make us as bad as her."

"So she just gets away with it?" I grimace, reluctantly agreeing with her analysis.

"Two more years and she'll be out in the real world," Jemima shrugged. "Maybe she'll get what's coming to her then. But knowing her, she'll probably worm her way into a record deal with her father's label and become even more unbearable. But at least then we won't be the ones who have to deal with her."

"I just wish someone would teach her a lesson," I growled, helping her air out all her drenched belongings.

"Oh yeah? Who would do that, you? Don't get me wrong, Caitlyn you're a great girl, and it's nice to see you can stand up for yourself, but it's not worth it. She wouldn't learn any lesson. She's like Blair Waldorf, except she'll actually get into Yale."

"Whaaat?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh right, sorry, I forgot you gave up on Gossip Girl after they busted up the Nate and Jenny storyline," Jemima rolled her eyes.

"The writers are so inconsistent! I couldn't deal with their flip-flopping anymore!" I retorted defensively.

"I know, I know," Jemima laughed. "But seriously, Whitney is like an angry lioness. If you poke her, she'll pounce, claw you to pieces and eat you for dinner."

"What a wonderful mental image," I giggled, picturing Whitney with big pointy teeth and whiskers.

"It's not worth it, Caitlyn," Jemima warned me, pulling her soggy purse out of my hands.

"Yeah, okay, don't worry, Mim," I grumbled. "I get it. Blair Waldorf slash lioness. Do not mess."

"Amen," she nodded, throwing her stuff in her locker and slamming it shut. "See you tonight."

* * *

"Jesus, why is Whitney here already?" Michael grumbled from behind me, nodding towards a sleek white Audi. "I would have thought Amelia's party would be beneath her."

"Not when every jock in the school is guaranteed to show up for the beer keg," Ellen rolled her eyes and patted him on the shoulder when he winced at the memory of her infidelity.

"Chill out guys, we're here to have a good time," Tess chirped as we walked into the front hall.

"Shit, there she is," Michael gasped as she came into his line of vision, and he ducked down behind Ellen.

"Oh, will you grow a pair?" Ellen snapped. "Just ignore her. She's not going to do anything with so many people around, you know she doesn't operate like that. Look, here's Mim, go with her to get a drink and show her that you've moved on."

"Who's moved on?" Jemima piped up as she slipped through the crowd of drinking teenagers towards us.

"Michael's still shit-scared of Whitney," Ellen grinned.

"I'm not scared," Michael yelped, straightening to his full height. "Come on, Jemima, we're getting a drink."

Jemima couldn't hide the smile that flitted across her lips as Michael grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the kitchen, giving a passing wave to Amelia and John who were attached at the mouth in the living room.

"We should go say hi to the lovebirds," Ellen grinned, making her way over to them, Tess and I following, and we both laughed as she vaulted over the back of the couch and made them break apart in shock as she plonked down beside them and screamed "HEY GUYS!" in their ears.

I drifted past Amelia scolding Ellen as Tess sat down next to them, and called after me if I could get her a grape soda. I nodded and made my way over to the cooler on the kitchen bench, in front of where Michael and Jemima were arguing.

"It's spelt D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y!" Jemima huffed crossly.

"No, it's not! There's no second E!" Michael insisted. "Why do you always have to be right about everything?"

"Why do you always have to think you're right about everything when you're clearly wrong?" Jemima replied smarmily.

"Can one of you please pass me two grape sodas before you kill each other?" I cut in. "And Jemima spelt it correctly."

Jemima sent me a satisfied grin and handed me two chilly cans, while Michael moaned exaggeratedly. "Don't encourage her, Caitlyn."

"Admit it, I'm just better than you," Jemima smiled sweetly at him. "I want you to say 'Jemima Beckett is Queen of the dictionary and of life. I will never live up to her amazing cornucopia of knowledge and she is so pretty and an amazing soccer player and she is the best saxophonist at Frenchwood Academy…'"

Jemima's list of demands continued on and on, but Michael had stopped listening because his gaze had darted to something behind me and before I knew it a mixture of defiance and resentment had passed over his features and he'd looked back to Jemima and her babbling for two seconds before cupping her face in his hand and kissing her roughly.

She gave a squeak of surprise before her eyes fluttered closed and she sunk forward, her hands balling his shirt into her fists. But then Michael broke away at the sound of a high-pitched giggle that emanated from the same place that spurred his actions in the first place. I turned around to come face to face with Whitney and her two cronies. She had her eyebrow raised at the pair in a condescending smirk, and my sights flitted back to the betrayed look of realisation on Jemima's face before she slapped Michael across the face and stormed up the stairs in a flood of tears.

"Mim, wait! Jemima!" Michael called desperately after her, but all he got in return was the loud slamming of a door.

Whitney didn't say anything. She just breezed between us like an ice queen, picking up a cup of punch before winking at Michael and sauntering away, her followers cackling in her wake.

"You _idiot_!" I hissed, smacking Michael upside the head. "Why would you do that?"

"She… she… I thought she liked me. Everyone's been telling me that she likes me," he stared blankly at the stairs that Jemima had disappeared up moments earlier.

"She does like you, fool!" I groaned. "And she thought you liked her!"

"I do like her! I like her a lot!" Michael gaped at me.

"Well, you've got a really good way of showing it! How could you use her like that in front of Whitney! You're a _complete_ idiot!" I reiterated.

"I don't know what happened," he mumbled detachedly, like he couldn't really understand what was going on. "I just saw Whitney and something snapped. Like she gives Mim all this crap because she wants her to stay away from me, because when it comes down to it, she's a selfish slut who just wants me to still want her. I had to show her that she was wrong, I could never want her, and I was really happy with someone else."

"Oh yeah, you sure showed her, genius," I rolled my eyes. "You just played her dumb game, and she won knowing that Jemima's somewhere upstairs bawling her eyes out because she thinks you used her to make Whitney jealous."

Michael's face paled as the gravity of the situation came crashing down on him. "Oh. Oh no. Does she even have any idea how long I've been waiting to kiss her like that?"

"Not now, because you blew it without telling her how you feel," I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair because I was completely at a loss for what else to do.

"Oh god, no. No, I've got to explain," Michael frantically gawped at me.

"What are you looking at me for?" I asked incredulously.

"You're right," he blurted, turning on his heel and sprinting up the stairs after Jemima.

I just shook my head sadly and wandered back to the others, handing Tess her now lukewarm soda.

"What took you so long?" she joked, pulling the aluminium can out of my cold, sticky fingers, the smooth warmth of her hand a stark contrast to my own.

"Michael kissed Jemima," I informed her, also gaining the attention of Ellen, Amelia and John, who looked delighted, "in front of Whitney."

"Oh, _no_," Ellen gasped, echoed by Tess and Amelia, as John smacked his forehead. "Idiot!"

"My words exactly," I nodded. "She's upstairs, crying. I think Michael's trying to find her to explain that she actually means more to him than a jealousy front."

"Come on, we should go and find them," Ellen stood up and brushed pizza crumbs off her stomach. "I think it's time for some ass-whooping."

One hour later and we still hadn't found Jemima. Michael was going crazy and was nearly in tears himself. John had taken him outside to sit on the porch and calm down and start formulating the world's greatest apology, as he was going to need it. And many people were getting in my way, coming up to me and telling me what a great job Tess and I did on Monday. I wanted to punch them in the face. None of them had said a single word to me the whole time I'd been at their stupid school, and yet here they were coming up and congratulating me like they'd known me for years. So I plastered on a grateful smile and thanked them, before brushing past to continue my search for Jemima. I wished Tess was with me, so I could share their praise and my trepidation.

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind that Tess ran up behind me, locking her fingers around my wrist and dragging me away from more apparent adoring fans of our work.

"Found her," she grinned.

She led me into what I assumed to be Amelia's bedroom, pushing me towards the open window. I gave her a questioning look, so she laughed and climbed out, poking her head back in to say "she's on the roof."

"Oh," I threw my hands in the air like of course that was the most obvious thing in the world, before clambering out after her.

I pulled myself up the gutter and teetered along the tiles after Tess, up to Jemima who was hunched next to the chimney, her legs pulled into her chest and her forehead on her knees.

"I'm such an idiot," she whispered as we sat down next to her.

"You be quiet, you, Michael is the idiot here, as we already informed him," I scoffed, snaking a hand around her shaking shoulders not unlike I did with Tess in the music room which seemed so long ago.

"I thought he really liked me," she wiped her runny nose on her sleeve before rubbing the goo off on her jeans. "But then I saw Whitney and I knew the real reason why he kissed me."

"He kissed you because he wants you," Tess reassured her, resting her head on her shoulder kindly. "He really wants to talk to you, and apologize. He just picked the wrong circumstances, and he's a boy. They're stupid and confusing but that's why we love them. He really likes you, Mim. You know he actually cried for a little bit trying to find you?"

"Good," Jemima snapped, but her harsh eyes had assuaged. "He deserves to know how it feels."

"Damn right he does!" I shouted, pounding my fist on my palm. "He's downstairs being weepy right now! You go down there and you let him know exactly how it feels!"

"Yeah!" Jemima exclaimed in liberation, and Tess and I helped her scramble to her feet. "Wait!" she paused, grabbing each of our hands. "I can't."

"Yes, you can!" Tess backed her up. "Mim, you are a beautiful, confident girl, and you are worthy of someone who cares for you. All you have to do is believe in them."

Halfway through her inspirational talk, Tess's eyes drifted to lock onto mine, and I got the feeling that she wasn't talking about Jemima and Michael anymore.

"You're so right. I have to talk to him," Jemima sighed scaling back down the roof. "Watch out for the rickety window frame in Amelia's room, we always had trouble with it when we were kids."

"Okay," Tess nodded, placing her hand in the small of my back and guiding me forward, sending inexplicable shivers down my spine.

I followed Jemima's lead, climbing through Amelia's window after her, and wishing her luck as she dashed out the door. I turned around to help Tess, but she just stared at me contemplatively from outside.

"Isn't it funny how one silly little kiss can cause all this trouble," she sighed. "Just once and Jemima and Michael's friendship could be ruined forever."

"I don't think so," I shrugged, unsure of where she was going with this. "I think they care about each other too much to let that happen."

"Do you care about me, Caity?" her question came from left field and I wasn't too sure how to answer.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," I bit my lip. "You're pretty much my best friend."

"So I could kiss you right now and it wouldn't destroy us?" she leaned forward, still hanging out of the window.

I took an uncertain step back. "Well, obviously you couldn't right now, because I'm in here and you're out there. And don't tell me the famous Tess Tyler would lower her standards to make out with measly old me."

An acerbic look crossed over her features and she made to hurriedly enter the room, but her boot got caught in the frame Jemima warned us about and she slipped backwards, teetering dangerously off the side of the house. I subconsciously shot forward, grabbing at any part of her I could get and pulling her frantically towards me. She tumbled in through the window head first and one of her flailing appendages struck into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and I fell to the floor, gasping.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry, Caitlyn!' Tess cried as she helped me to sit up, still wheezing.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, brushing my bangs out of eyes and I was super-consciously aware of her soft hands holding up my chin.

She was breathing heavily but it was nothing compared to me, but I couldn't bring myself to move, every muscle in my body was frozen solid, even my eyelids, which didn't close as Tess dipped her head and pressed her glossy lips to mine. She lingered for a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity, before pulling away and rocking back on her heels, waiting apprehensively for me to say something, anything.

"You don't taste like cherry chapstick at all," I sighed. "Katy Perry lied to me."

She laughed lightly and it made me smile, and she stood up, pulling me to my feet. "See? Friendship intact. Nothing to worry about."

She went to walk past me and rejoin the party but I reached out and took her hand jerkily, spinning her back into me and pressing my forehead to hers. I wasn't thinking about anything except how pretty she looked with her flushed cheeks and rebellion in her eyes, and I kissed her back, properly this time. Her arms snaked around my waist hesitantly as I entangled my hands in her delicious smelling new hair. I could feel the acidic flavour of soda flood into my mouth on her tongue, but it only made me push deeper, further, making me more dizzy.

We pulled apart simultaneously as we heard a thump from outside the askew door. We were silent for a few moments, holding our breaths, hoping nobody would come in, before meeting each others gaze uneasily.

"What was that?" Tess said in hushed tones that were obviously not meant to be seductive, but god, they made me want to throw myself at her.

"I don't… I… I don't know," I stuttered, all the blood draining from my face and the pit of my stomach falling, falling, falling. "I have to go."

I dashed out of Amelia's room and stumbled down the stairs in a daze, trying to process everything. What had I done? I'd just kissed my best friend, a girl, and what's more, I wanted to do it again. And again. I had no idea where we stood or how we would go about making anything between us work, if even Tess wanted something. Hell, I didn't even know what I wanted. Did I want our relationship to progress further than this? It would change everyone's perceptions of me. It would change my perceptions of myself. I'd be stuck with a lesbian label, expected to conform to some stupid stereotype. But did that even matter if I got to be with Tess?

I reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs and gazed out across the sea of writhing high schoolers who were so content in their little bubbles of their own life, completely oblivious to the emotional turmoil that surrounded them everyday. We're either so comfortable with our lives that we just don't bother to take an interest in anyone else's, or we're so discontented that we're determined to change things that are destined to stay the same.

But my train of thought comes to a screeching as I spot Michael and Jemima out on the front lawn. Michael is on his knees and his hands are clasped together while Jemima is mixture of infuriated and trying not to laugh. A smile breaks over my face and I make a beeline towards them, before a blond boy without a football jacket slumps into me.

"Hey, Caitlyn, looking good," he leered drunkenly. "Do you know where Tess is?"

"No I don't," I snapped, pushing him away. "Stay away from her, you've done enough."

"Whitney said she wanted to see me," his eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Whitney is a goddamn liar and you know it," I hissed, shoving past him and walking out the front door, only to see Michael and Jemima driving away in her car.

"Oh my god of all the wildly romantic apologetic gestures in the world, you had to miss the most amazing one," Ellen springs up behind me, an euphoric expression cast over her face.

"So they're together now?" I covered my mouth with my hand in excitement. If there was hope for those two maybe Tess and I could sort something out after all.

"I think they're going to get _married_," Ellen cooed dreamily, twirling around happily and heading inside. "Where were you and Tess? You guys got Jemima off the roof, and then missed her getting her happy ending!"

I opened my mouth and the shut it again. I wasn't sure what to say. Would Ellen tell anyone? I knew in my heart she wouldn't, but at the same time I didn't want to take that risk. I didn't want to confess to anything, not yet. If something was going to come out of Tess and I being together, then everyone talking about it would only make things more difficult. Ellen was staring at me weirdly, waiting for my answer, when we were both distracted by a shriek that burst from inside.

"Stay the hell away from me, Chris!"

"Tess!" we hissed simultaneously, dashing inside to see Tess with her wide eyes shining and Chris swaying unsteadily on his feet.

"Whitney told me you wanted to talk. I just need you to know that I never wanted to hurt you," he slurred miserably.

"But you did hurt me! You think just because you say you didn't mean it is going to make the pain any less, make it go away? It's never going to go away! It's so deep it's like something that grips my insides with an icy cold fist and then tries to pull them out of my throat so I can't breathe. I've been gasping for air ever since, but lately I've been breathing more and more, and then you just come up to me and say you didn't fucking mean to? Fuck you! How dare you!?" the mascara is dribbling down Tess's cheeks and everyone is staring at her. "I will never forgive you for what you did to me!"

There is silence surrounding us except for one person who seems to be laughing. That one person is dressed in a tight miniskirt and her manicured nails and tapping against her punch cup in amusement.

"You!" Tess screamed, taking a threatening step towards her, and I bet it was the first time in Whitney's charmed life that she'd ever looked scared. "Don't even get me started on you, you twisted little bitch! You're sick! I can't believe that I used to aspire to be like you! You're a sad, pathetic little person and I hope you die a miserable death!"

Whitney's jaw dropped in disbelief, and she even looked a little humiliated as a few surrounding kids murmured their agreement. By this time Tess had realised that she'd drawn attention to herself with her rant, and her face went red as she dashed out of the house.

"Tess!" Ellen called after her. "Bloody hell, is Whitney destined to ruin _everyone's_ night?"

"I'll go talk to her," I sighed. "We'll probably leave. See you at school."

"Yeah, bye," Ellen mumbled distractedly as I left her to go and find Tess.

She was sitting in the drivers seat of her car, the keys were in the ignition but the engine wasn't running. I walked over to her side of the car and reached out to pat the top of her head, but she pulled away and I drew my hand back as though she had burned me.

"Caitlyn, it was just one silly little kiss," she choked. "It didn't mean anything. It was just a friend kiss."

"Don't say that," I gulped down the lump in my throat. "You know that's not true."

"Yes it is!" she grips the steering wheel tighter. "I can't do this Caitlyn, I can't have people talking about me behind my back again."

"Why would that even matter?" I sneered, crossing my arms over my chest angrily. "If we were together-"

"We're not going to be together, Caitlyn!" she snapped, finally turning on her Mustang and pulling off the handbrake. "I can't do it. I don't trust myself with you."

"But I trust you!" I protested. "I believe in you!"

"That's the problem," she winced, starting to back out of the driveway with me jogging beside her. "I don't think I can do this, _us_, if I don't believe in myself. I thought I did, but just then, flipping my shit, seeing how much the people I hate still get to me, I haven't changed at all, I've healed all wrong. I just need some time."

With that she swung the red car around and took off down the street, leaving me standing in the middle of the road without a clue in the world what was going on, the tail lights flashed red in the distance and that's when I realised that without Tess I had no ride home. Maybe she was right, maybe she was in denial, but if she needed time, I had all the time in the world.

She was worth waiting for.

* * *

_So basically the motivation behind this was a review I received for __Heroics & Hallelujahs__ making me want to claw my eyes out. I wrote this to spite it instead. GAAAHH ignorance makes me so ANGRY!!!  
__I'd love to hear about your shit homophobic opinions that you most certainly have a right to, really, but I'll probably just end up raging on you instead. I'm like that. Eh.  
__Constructive __**reviews**__ are much appreciated though, as always :) I really needed to get it out of my system, but the ending was weird, I didn't know where else to go. Whatever, I enjoyed writing it :)_


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